Adjustable float control valve



@ct. 15, 1968 H. RUTER 3,405,687

ADJUSTABLE FLOAT CONTROL VALVE Filed Dec. 27, 1966 INVENTOR Hans RUTERBy MAM his ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,405,687 ADJUSTABLE FLOATCONTROL VALVE Hans Riiter, Breitendyk 109, Krefeld, Germany Filed Dec.27, 1966, Ser. No. 605,018 Claims priority, application Germany, Feb.18, 1966, R 42,637 6 Claims. (Cl. 119-78) The invention relates to adevice for giving water to animals, in particular to small animals andpoultry, in which the drinking-water flows from a supply tank to thepoints where it is consumed, an adjustable float valve being provided inthe supply-tank.

The above mentioned adjustability of the float valve is necessary inorder to obtain the correct flow of drinking water.

It is known to bend the float rod suitably by hand, in accordance withthe conditions for which the installation is intended. In the firstplace, such an operation is not very exact. Moreover, this operation isalso inconvenient, insofar as the adjustment may only be made when thesupply-tank is full, and accordingly the operation must be carried outunder water.

The invention is based on the problem of improving the knownwatering-devices with float valve, in such a manner that accurateregulation from the outside is possible, without the apparatus beingrendered substantially more complicated thereby.

This problem is solved according to the invention in that the pivotpoint of the float valve is constructed in the form of an eccentric. Bymeans of rotating this eccentric, a displacement of the pivot point isachieved, such that the valve closes in different positions of thefloat.

The construction of the eccentric is preferably selected such that itacts self-lockingly, and accordingly there is no need to provide anyadditional clamping-means.

According to a further development of the invention, the float isintended to be secured to one arm of the angle lever, the valve plateand the eccentric being secured to the other arm. By means of thisarrangement it is possible to provide a space-saving construction of thefloat valve.

In order to obtain a good fitting of the valve plate in the variouspositions of the eccentric, it is further provided, according to theinvention, that the valve plate is constructed in the form of a sealingpad adapted to be inserted in a recess in the appropriate arm of theangle lever. In this case the recess is preferably provided with acurved base which aflords further possibility of a good fitting.

The invention will now be described With reference to the accompanyingdrawings, which show an embodiment of the invention but in norestrictive sense.

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section through the watering-device.

FIGURE 2 shows a segment of FIGURE 1, on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 3 is the eccentric, shown in cross section.

Inside a supply-tank 1 for drinking-water a float valve is arranged,indicated as a whole at 2. The valve is installed in the wall In and isheld therein by means of a locking screw 3. The conduit 5 is secured tothe feed pipe 4, which is located outside the tank 1. In order to3,405,687 Patented Oct. 15, 1968 "ice keep away the dirt, a removablefilter bag 6 is also arranged inside the feed pipe 4.

The actual float 8 is arranged on one arm 7a of an angle lever 7, whilstthe other arm 7b carries the axis of rotation-which is constructed inthe form of an eccentric--and also the valve plate 10.

By rotating the eccentric 9 it is possible to achieve (as can be seenfrom FIGURE 2) that the valve closes in diflerent positions of the float8 (see the dashed lines and the unbroken lines, in the drawing). In thisway it is possible to regulate exactly the flow to the points ofconsumption, which flow takes place via the outflow pipe 11 of the tank1.

The eccentric 9 is mounted in the housing-part 12 of the valve 2, andfor purposes of adjustment it is provided with a milled disc 9a.

In order to ensure a good seating of the valve plate 10 on the valveseat 13 in each position as set by the eccentric 9, according to theinvention the valve plate 10 is constructed in the form of a flexiblesealing pad. The said sealing pad is inserted into a recess 14 of thearm 7b, the base 14a of which is of curved construction. Thisrounding-oft serves to ensure an even greater flexibility of the sealingpad 10.

As can be seen from FIGURES 1 and 2, a hook-like structure, 15 and 16,is also provided on the arm 7a of the angle lever, and on the housingpart 12, respectively. These hooks make possible a complete blocking ofthe valve, for example by applying a rubber strip or else byconstriction by a band.

I claim:

1. A device for supplying water to animals, which includes a supplytank, means for supplying drinking water to the said tank, a valveconnected to regulate the delivery of water to the said tank, floatmeans positioned within said tank, a lever mounted on a pivot andconnecting said float to said valve whereby the valve is closed when thewater in the tank reaches a predetermined level, and adjustableeccentric mounting means for said lever pivot whereby the position ofthe pivot may be adjusted with consequent variation of the saidpredetermined level.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the said eccentric mountingmeans is self-locking.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said lever is a bellcranklever, said float means being secured to one end of said lever and valveoperating means being provided at the other end of said lever.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein valve operating means includesa sealing pad mounted in a recess defined at the end of said lever.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein said recess has a curved base.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the valve, float means, leverand mounting means are all composed entirely of plastics material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 699,233 5/1902 Quinn et a1. 1198O2,614,532 10/1952 Steel 119-78 3,004,748 10/1961 Sprouse et a1. 251-234HUGH R. CHAMBLEE, Primary Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO ANIMALS, WHICH INCLUDES A SUPPLYTANK, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING DRINKING WATER TO THE SAND TANK, A VALVECONNECTED TO REGULATE THE DELIVERY OF WATER TO THE SAID TANK, FLOATMEANS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID TANK, A LEVER MOUNTED ON A PIVOT ANDCONNECTING SAID FLOAT TO SAID VALVE WHEREBY THE VALVE IS CLOSED WHEN THEWATER IN THE TANK REACHES A PREDETERMINED LEVEL, AND ADJUSTABLEECCENTRIC MOUNTING MEANS FOR SAID LEVER PIVOT WHEREBY THE POSITION OFTHE PIVOT MAY BE ADJUSTED WITH CONSEQUENT VARIATION OF THE SAIDPREDETERMINED LEVEL.